• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Search results

  1. P

    The ATG Teams General arguing/discussing thread

    Hirst, Rhodes and Evans at 6-8. Jack Fingleton's team had an extra batsman May at 6 (three openers, no left-hander) and these three at 7-9 followed by Larwood and Barnes. During England's successful period in the 1950s, Evans normally batted at 7, followed by the tail. Bailey was number 6, a...
  2. P

    The ATG Teams General arguing/discussing thread

    Lindwall was a lot faster with a nasty skidding bouncer and late outswing. After suffering from dropped slip catches, he developed an inswinger as well and was basically equipped for all surfaces. He didn't enjoy bowling long spells. Nor did Miller. Bedser thrived on hard work and was very...
  3. P

    The ATG Teams General arguing/discussing thread

    As deliberate policy, pitches in England and Australia started favouring bowlers from the 1950-51 Australian season. Bedser, aged 32, suddenly found regular purchase for his leg-cutter and his bowling was transformed, having previously been a steady inswing stock bowler. He remains the only...
  4. P

    Who should have recieved a knighthood?

    He became Sir Richard just before the second Test at Lord's when his knighthood was announced. Official investiture was in October after his last Test. But yes his name should be added to Vizzy's.
  5. P

    Who should have recieved a knighthood?

    Maharajkumar of Vizianagram or "Vizzy". Awarded for cricket administration and politics, rather than playing achievements. But still the only one to be knighted while still an active Test cricketer - before his last Test. Renounced knighthood in 1947 on India gaining independence.
  6. P

    The ATG Teams General arguing/discussing thread

    Interesting point. It was around fifty years ago that the build-up to the Centenary Test sparked reminiscence, comparisons and all-time England teams. A rough consensus of those teams looked something like this: Grace*, Hobbs, Hammond, Compton (or Hutton at No.3), Woolley, Ames or Evans, Hirst...
  7. P

    Best test wicketkeeper since Knott?

    An old question is the best wicket-keeper never to play Test cricket. Ray Jennings seems an obvious candidate. Procter thought Tich Smith was of similar quality. Warne said the greatest keepers he saw were Healy and the uncapped Darren Berry, who he claimed should have kept for Australia...
  8. P

    Best test wicketkeeper since Knott?

    Good keeper by all accounts. One of the first to stand back to medium-pacers, as John Murray and Alan Knott did later.
  9. P

    Best test wicketkeeper since Knott?

    20 wicket-keepers have 40 or more dismissals in Tests with a batting average below 20. Eight are Australian, five English, three West Indian, with one each from Bangladesh, India, New Zealand and Pakistan. None from South Africa, Sri Lanka, or Zimbabwe. In the past, Australia tended to pick...
  10. P

    Best test wicketkeeper since Knott?

    It happened quite often in the days of uncovered pitches when the worst of those surfaces made a top-class keeper essential. Herbert Strudwick played 28 Tests for England and was a genuine number eleven. George Duckworth batted number eleven a dozen times during his 24 Tests. England's greatest...
  11. P

    Why does having a left/right hand opening combo matter?

    Yes they were. Scyld Berry estimates that around a third of 18th century cricketers batted left-handed. A hundred years later The Times newspaper ran a campaign to ban left-handers from the game. Similar prejudice existed later elsewhere. In the 1930s England's selectors picked left-handers...
  12. P

    Why does having a left/right hand opening combo matter?

    It was more useful when there were fewer left-handers around and bowlers were less used to them. Proportionally there are roughly twice as many Test left-handers as during the 1980s, and three times the proportion before WW1. England had played over a hundred Tests before Woolley became their...
  13. P

    Cricketing politicians

    FS Jackson Learie Constantine Clive van Ryneveld Gil Langley Frank Worrell Tom Veivers Kirti Azad Chetan Chauhan Manoj Tiwari (white ball only) Also seem to recall that Clive Lloyd assisted Guyanese leader Forbes Burnham in some capacity.
  14. P

    Why is it viewed as more important

    The most controversial is probably Jim McConnon. Not because of the two Tests he did play against Pakistan. But for getting picked to tour Australia in 1954-55 instead of Jim Laker. At least that was the story. The reality is that it was Bob Appleyard whom Hutton preferred to Laker, and who...
  15. P

    Why is it viewed as more important

    Possibly a combination of the two. He was the best fielder of his day, mainly at short point - a sort of square close gully. In all cricket, mainly club matches, he took the second most wickets ever. WG was third. The pair spent virtually their entire summers on the cricket field until well...
  16. P

    Why is it viewed as more important

    Exactly. If they were big names they wouldn't have to rely on their fielding.
  17. P

    Why is it viewed as more important

    Twelve cricketers who were picked for England mainly because of their fielding. In other words they may well not have been chosen had they not been brilliant fielders. EM Grace, Vernon Royle, AO Jones, David Denton, Percy Chapman, Arthur Mitchell, Jim McConnon, Alan Oakman, Peter Walker, Phil...
  18. P

    Barry Richards vs Mike Procter

    Trueman said Hutton was the best batsman he saw. Cowdrey said he was the most complete technically. Compton wrote in 1990 that Hutton was the greatest opening batsman of his experience. Illingworth said he was a class above all others of his time. All were English of course but only Cowdrey and...
  19. P

    The ATG Teams General arguing/discussing thread

    In the past batsmen were assessed on two basic criteria: overall run-scoring and technical proficiency in all conditions, which included the ability to score runs in the worst of those conditions. The further back in time, the more the balance moves towards the latter, as bad pitches become more...
  20. P

    The ATG Teams General arguing/discussing thread

    A few quotes over the years. There was nothing like the unanimity about Bradman in relation to others that there seems to be now. JM Kilburn on Hobbs 1934: No batsman yet seen has evolved such mastery over all the vagaries of bowler and wicket...With Grace and Trumper and Ranji he stands...

Top